Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Medicine Dispensing Apparatus
Technical Field
The present invention relates to a medicine dispensing apparatus
configured to contain various sorts of medicines and automatically
dispense the medicines per dose based on inputs such as prescriptions
and pharmaceutical instructions.
Background Art
With reference to Fig. 6, the configuration of a tablet dispensing
apparatus, which is a typical example conventional medicine
dispensing apparatus, is described below. Fig. 6(a) is a perspective
view showing an appearance of a conventional tablet dispensing
apparatus 10 as viewed from left front. Fig. 6(b) schematically
illustrates an internal structure of the tablet dispensing apparatus
10. Fig. 6(c) is a perspective view showing an appearance of the
conventional tablet dispensing apparatus 10 as viewed from left front.
Fig. 7 is a right side elevation view showing another example of a
conventional tablet dispensing apparatus 20 which is equipped with
a manual medicine dispensing device (21,22) .
The tablet dispensing apparatus 10 shown in Figs. 6(a) to 6(c)
is not equipped with a manual medicine dispensing device. This kind
of tablet dispensing apparatus is disclosed, for example, in Japanese
Patent Application Publication No. 2005-192702 (Patent Document 1)
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and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-109860 (Patent
Document 2). The tablet dispensing apparatus 20 shown in Fig. 6(d)
has incorporated a manual medicine dispensing device (21,22)
thereinto. This kind of tablet dispensing apparatus is disclosed,
for example, in Japanese Patent Application Publication No.
2007-209600 (Patent Document 3).
The tablet dispensing apparatus 10 which is not equipped with a
manual medicine dispensing device includes a plurality of medicine
feeders 13, a medicine collecting assembly (14,15), a packing device
17, and a controller (control device) 18. Various sorts of medicines
1 such as pills, tablets, and capsules are contained in the medicine
feeders 13 by category. The medicine collecting assembly (14,15)
collects the medicines 1 ejected from the medicine feeders 13. The
packing device 17 packs the medicines 1 received from the medicine
collecting assembly (14,15). The controller (control device) 18,
which is typically equipped with a microprocessor, outputs a control
command to the medicine feeders 13 and the packing device 17.
Specifically, the controller 18 gives an appropriate medicine feeder
13 a control command which causes the medicine feeder 13 containing
the medicines 1 indicated in prescription or pharmaceutical
instruction data to eject the required number of the medicines 1.
The medicines 1 ejected from the medicine feeder 13 are collected
by the medicine collecting assembly (14,15) and forwarded to a
medicine entry port (an entry port for the collected medicines) 16
located downward. The controller 18 gives the packing device 17 a
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control command which causes the packing device 17 to pack the
medicines forwarded to the medicine entry port 16 in units of dose
or application. The packing device 17 fills the medicines divided
per dose or application into a pocket formed between two packing paper
sheets (dispensing paper) 2 and then tightly seals an opening portion
of the pocket.
More specifically, the tablet dispensing apparatus 10 has a
housing 10A. A medicine storage 11 is disposed in an upper space
inside the housing 10A, and the packing device 17 is disposed in a
lower space inside the housing 10A. The medicine collecting assembly
includes medicine guide assemblies 14 and a medicine collecting
assembly 15, and is disposed between the medicine storage 11 and the
packing device 17 inside the housing 10A. The medicine storage 11
accommodates a plurality of medicine feeder storage units (medicine
cabinets) which are individually slidable and juxtaposed or arranged
side by side. Each medicine feeder storage unit 12 includes a
medicine storage casing 12A and a plurality of detachable medicine
feeders 13, typically several to several tens of medicine feeders
13, which are disposed vertically and horizontally inside the
medicine storage casing 12A.
Each medicine feeder 13 includes a medicine cassette capable of
containing and ejecting a number of medicines 1 and a base portion
capable of detachably supporting the medicine cassette and
performing drive operation to eject the medicines from the medicine
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cassette. The medicine feeder 13 is operable to eject the specified
number of tablets 1 as instructed by the controller 18 and forward
the ejected tablets to the medicine guide assembly 14.
A publicly known medicine guide assembly 14 includes a conduit
pipe such as a duct vertically or longitudinally disposed and a
plurality of extension pipes communicating with respective outlets
of the medicine feeders. The medicine guide assembly 14 is provided
for each medicine feeder storage unit 12, and can be drawn out from
the housing 10A together with the corresponding medicine feeder
storage unit 12. For simplified illustration, 6(b) illustrates the
tablet dispensing apparatus as if a common medicine guide assembly
14 exists for two medicine feeder storage units 12, and Fig. 6(c)
omits the illustration of the medicine guide assemblies 14.
Each medicine feeder storage unit 12 is configured to horizontally
slide toward the front of the housing 10A. Thus, the medicine guide
assembly 14 and the medicine feeders can be drawn out from the housing
10A together with the medicine feeder casing 12A.
The medicine collecting assembly 15 is formed of a relatively
large hopper-like member or an infundibulum-like member. The
medicine collecting assembly 15 is incorporated in a space below the
medicine storage 11 of the housing 10A. It is located above the
packing device 17 in that space. An upper opening of the medicine
collecting assembly 15 is opened widely enough to face respective
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ends of all the medicine guide assemblies 14. A lower opening of
the medicine collecting member 15 is narrowed down toward the medicine
entry port 16. As a result, the medicines 1 guided by any of the
medicine guide assemblies 14 are gathered toward the lower opening
of the medicine collecting assembly 15 and then are forwarded to the
packing device17. Thus, the medicine collecting assembly 15 works
as a common guide path to the packing device 17 for all the medicine
guide assemblies 14.
Pharmaceutical indications based on a prescription of dosage and
administration or the like are entered by using an operation panel
19 or an appropriate input device or prescription ordering system,
not illustrated. The tablet dispensing apparatus 10 ejects
medicines 1 from one or more medicine feeders 13 as indicated by
commands from the controller 18 upon receipt of the entered
pharmaceutical indications. The ejected medicines 1 drop into the
medicine collecting assembly 15 via the medicine guide assemblies
14. Then, the medicines 1 are gathered and taken out of an exit port
located downward, and are entered into the medicine entry port 16
of the packing device 17. Thus, the medicines 1 pass through such
medicine collecting path and are separately packed per dose in two
packing paper sheets 2 by the packing device. The packing device
17 feeds two sheets form the packing paper roll in a predetermined
length, and thermally seals a part of the two packing paper sheets
to form a medicine storage pocket. The packing device 17 places the
medicines 1 into the medicine storage pocket and thermally seals an
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opening of the pocket to dispense the medicines per dose. In this
manner, the medicines are automatically dispensed. Specifically,
the medicines 1 are ejected from appropriate medicine feeders 13 and
forwarded to the packing device 17 via the medicine collecting
assembly (14, 15) individually one by one or collectively in a bulk.
Fig. 7 schematically illustrates a configuration of a tablet
dispensing apparatus 20 equipped with a manual medicine dispensing
device as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No.
2007-209600 (Patent Document 3). The tablet dispensing apparatus
has incorporated the manual medicine dispensing device (21, 22)
therein. The manual medicine dispensing device (21, 22) is, for
example, constituted from a cassette preliminary dispenser 21 and
a conveyor portion 22. The preliminary dispenser 21 has formed a
15 number of partitions in length and width directions thereof or a
number of partitions are formed crisscrossing the preliminary
dispenser 21. The top or upper end of each partition is opened to
receive medicines and the bottom or lower face thereof is formed of
an openable shutter or the like to eject the medicines. The
20 preliminary dispenser 21 is drawable from the housing of the tablet
dispensing apparatus 20 for manual medicine dispensation to each
partition. The preliminary dispenser is manually operated for
medicine dispensation, but the conveyor portion 22 is operable to
automatically eject the medicines. Specifically, the conveyor
portion 22 is located below the manual dispenser 21 inside the housing
of the tablet dispensing apparatus 20 when the manual dispenser 21
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is pushed into the housing. The conveyor portion 22 receives the
medicines ejected from the partition, and forwards the medicines for
one partition to the packing device 17 via the medicine collecting
assembly 15.
In conventional medicine dispensing apparatuses, it is sometimes
required to remove and prevent contamination due to scattered or
adhered medicines. Some of the conventional medicine dispensing
apparatuses incorporate a dust collector or dust vacuum cleaner in
a necessary location. Furnishing of such dust collector or dust
vacuum cleaner is common to powder medicine dispensing apparatuses.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No.
2004-148036 (Patent Document 4), some tablet dispensing apparatuses
have a built-in tablet cutter.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No.
2005-192702
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No.
2006-109860
Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Publication No.
2007-209600
Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent Application Publication No.
2004-148036
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Summary of Invention
Technical Problem
In such conventional medicine dispensing apparatus, the medicine
guide assembly 14 is incorporated into each of the medicine feeder
storage unit 12. When cleaning the medicine guide assembly 14, it
is necessary to draw out the medicine feeder storage unit 12 from
the medicine storage 11 or the housing to expose the upper and lower
ends of the medicine guide assembly 14. Then, a cleaning tool is
inserted into an inner space of the medicine guide assembly 14 from
the upper and lower openings of the medicine guide assembly 14.
Cleaning is performed by wiping the inner wall surface of the medicine
guide assembly 14 that defines a path along which the medicines drop.
Such cleaning, however, forces a cleaning worker to take unnatural
posture, thereby imposing physical strain on the worker's body.
Further, the workability is bad and inefficient.
Conventionally, if it is required to dispense medicines in a clean
positive pressure environment, medicine dispensation is manually
performed in a clean room or using a clean bench. Automated medicine
dispensation using the above-mentioned medicine dispensing
apparatus has not been implemented in a positive pressure environment.
However, there are strong demands for automated dispensation of
medicines which are vulnerable to contamination or likely to cause
contamination. Even medicines which are relatively resistant
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against contamination or relatively unlikely to cause contamination
eventually reach the allowable limit of contamination during repeated
dispensation over a long period of time. It is significant to add
a contamination preventing function to the medicine dispensing
apparatus or reinforce such function in viewpoint of enhanced sorts
of automatically dispensable medicines and reduced cleaning and
maintenance frequency. In viewpoint of costs and workability,
however, it is demanded to implement a desired function by reforming
the existing configurations with minor changes.
An object of the present invention is to provide a medicine
dispensing apparatus which is easily cleaned and withstands
contamination.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a medicine
dispensing apparatus including a medicine guide assembly of which
the inner surface can readily be cleaned.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a medicine
dispensing apparatus of which a medicine path is not readily
contaminated.
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Solution to Problem
A medicine dispensing apparatus of the present invention
includes, as basic elements, a housing, a plurality of medicine
feeder storage units disposed inside the housing, one or more
medicine guide assemblies, a medicine collecting assembly, and
a packing device. The medicine feeder storage units each include
a plurality of medicine feeders operable to contain medicines and
sequentially eject the medicines, and a medicine feeder casing
capable of accommodating the medicine feeders. The medicine
feeder storage units are juxtaposed inside the housing such that
the storage units can individually be drawn out from the housing.
The housing is configured at least to allow the medicine feeder
storage units to be individually drawn out from the housing.
The one or more medicine guide assemblies are each disposed
between paired adjacent medicine feeder storage units among the
plurality of medicine feeder storage units. The medicine guide
assemblies are each configured to guide the medicines, which have
been ejected from the medicine feeders included in the paired
medicine feeder storage units, to an outlet port located downward.
The medicine guide assemblies may each include a first divided
guide member and a second divided guide member. The first and
second guided members are combined with each other when the paired
medicine feeder storage units are accommodated in the housing,
and are separated from each other when one of the paired medicine
feeder storage units is drawn out from the housing. In this
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configuration, the first divided guide member is fixed to the
medicine feeder casing of one of the paired medicine feeder
storage units, and the second divided guide member is fixed to
the medicine feeder casing of the other medicine feeder storage
unit. With this configuration, namely, if the medicine guide
assembly formed of the first and second divided guide members is
provided with respect to a pair of medicine feeder storage units,
it may be possible to reduce the number of the medicine guide
assemblies to be provided with respect to the number of the
medicine feeder storage units. Thus, the medicine dispensing
apparatus may be downsized compared with conventional apparatuses.
In this configuration, one medicine feeder storage unit is drawn
out from the housing with the interiors of the first and second
divided guide members being exposed. In this situation, the
medicine guide assembly may be cleaned by individually cleaning
the interiors of the first and second divided members.
Consequently, the workload of the cleaning worker may
significantly be reduced. Further, the structure of the medicine
guide assembly formed of the first and second divided guide
members is simple, thereby manufacturing the medicine guide
assembly easily and at low cost.
The first and second divided guide members may arbitrarily
be configured, provided that they have the above-mentioned
technical features. For example, the first divided guide member
may be shaped like a plate, having formed a plurality of through
holes therein such that the medicines ejected from the medicine
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feeders included in the one medicine feeder storage unit pass
through the through holes of the first divided guide member. In
this case, the second divided guide member may include a
plate-like portion having formed a plurality of through holes
therein such that the medicines ejected from the medicine feeders
included in the other medicine feeder storage unit pass through
the through holes of the plate-like portion, the plate-like
portion having a first edge portion located distally in a draw-out
direction of the medicine feeder storage units and a second edge
portion located proximately and opposite to the first edge portion
in the draw-out direction; a first side wall portion extending
along the first edge portion of the plate-like portion and away
from the plate-like portion; and a second side wall portion
extending along the second edge portion of the plate-like portion
and away from the plate-like portion. In such configuration of
the first and second divided members, since the shape of the first
divided guide member is simple, the cost of the medicine guide
assembly can furthermore be reduced.
The first and second divided guide members may of course be
symmetrically shaped with respect to a parting plane thereof. If
the first and second divided guide members are symmetric in shape,
it is sufficient to prepare only the first divide guide member,
thereby reducing the sorts of parts and manufacturing the medicine
guide assembly at furthermore lower cost.
The medicine collecting assembly is disposed downward of the
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medicine feeder storage units and configured to collect the
medicines ejected from the one or more medicine guide assemblies.
The packing device is disposed downward of the medicine collecting
assembly and operable to separately pack the collected medicines
ejected from the medicine collecting assemblies.
In addition, the medicine dispensing apparatus may include
an air cleaning device. The air cleaning device is operable to
take in air from outside of the housing, clean the air, and supply
the cleaned air to an interior of the housing. In this case, a
flow path for cleaned air is provided to deliver at least a part
of the cleaned air into the medicine guide assemblies such that
the cleaned air flows downward inside the medicine guide
assemblies. If such flow path for cleaned air is provided, the
cleaned air delivered into each medicine guide assembly from the
top of the assembly flows downward from top to bottom along the
medicine path and further flows into the medicine collecting
assembly. The flow of cleaned air may clean, to some extent, the
interiors of the medicine guide assemblies and the medicine
collecting assembly. Thus, the cleaning cycle of the interiors
of the medicine guide assemblies can be extended compared with
the conventional cleaning cycle. The cleaned air flowing through
the medicine guide assemblies works to accelerate the falling
speed of the medicines, thereby facilitating the medicine
dispensing cycle.
The decelerating cleaned air, which has passed through the
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medicine guide assemblies and the medicine collecting assembly,
enters into the packing device together with the medicines. The
cleaned air is not sufficient to clean the packing device.
Preferably, a branch flow path for cleaned air is provided. The
branch flow path is configured to branch the cleaned air supplied
from the air cleaning device and deliver the branched cleaned air
directly into the packing device such that the branched cleaned
air does not pass through the flow path for cleaned air. With
the branch flow path for cleaned air, the packing device may
positively be cleaned by the cleaned air. As a result, it is
possible to obtain a medicine dispensing apparatus in which the
medicine paths are not readily contaminated. In addition, the
workload of the cleaning worker may be alleviated.
The installation location of the air cleaning device is
arbitrary if the filter performance is high. Preferably, however,
the air cleaning device is located upward of the medicine feeder
storage units. In this configuration, the air cleaning device
takes in external air at locations distant above the floor. Thus,
relatively clean air is taken into the cleaning device. Further,
since the distance between the air cleaning device and respective
upper ends of the medicine guide assemblies is small, a simple
structure is sufficient for delivering the cleaned air into the
medicine guide assemblies.
Preferably, one or more air pollution sensors operable to
sense pollution of the cleaned air are disposed inside the housing.
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With the air pollution sensors, it is possible to sense the air
pollution due to some cause inside the housing, and early resolve
the air pollution.
The one or more air pollution sensors may be disposed at
arbitrary locations in air paths through which the cleaned air
supplied from the air cleaning device passes. Preferably, the
one or more air pollution sensors are disposed in at least one
location selected from inside or outside of the flow path for
cleaned air, inside or at an outlet port of the branch flow path
for cleaned air, inside or in the vicinity of the medicine
collecting assembly, and inside or in the vicinity of the packing
device. If the sensors are disposed at these locations, it is
possible to timely and certainly know from the detected air
pollution that cleaning should early be performed, the air
cleaning device is in an abnormal condition, etc.
It is arbitrary how to utilize the detection by the air
pollution sensor. For example, the air cleaning device may have
a controller operable to vary the amount of air which the air
cleaning device supplies, according to the level of pollution of
the cleaned air sensed by the air pollution sensor. With this,
the cause of pollution of the cleaned air may be eliminated by
increasing the amount of air. The increased amount of air may
be reduced after the cause has been eliminated.
Further, an alarm signal generator may be provided. The alarm
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signal generator is operable to generate an alarm signal when the
pollution of the cleaned air sensed by the air pollution sensor
reaches or exceeds a predetermined level. For example, an alarm
signal is generated to produce sound or emit light in order to
warn the worker that cleaning should early be performed.
Alternatively, an alarm signal is generated to stop the medicine
dispensing apparatus.
When the medicine guide assembly formed of the first and second
divided guide members is employed in the medicine dispensing
apparatus of the present invention, the air cleaning device is
not necessarily provided. When the air cleaning device is
provided in the medicine dispensing apparatus of the present
invention, the medicine guide assembly formed of the first and
second divided guide members is not necessarily employed.
Cleaning may be performed by employing a configuration including
an air cleaning device in a medicine dispensing apparatus which
employs a conventional medicine guide assembly.
Brief Description of Drawings
Fig. 1(a) illustrates an overall configuration according to
a first embodiment of the present invention as applied to a tablet
dispensing apparatus. Fig. 1(b) is a front view thereof. Fig.
1(c) is a right side elevation view thereof.
Fig. 2(a) illustrates a major part of the tablet dispensing
apparatus of Fig. 1 according to the first embodiment. Fig. 2(b)
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is a plan view thereof.
Fig. 3(a) is a perspective view of a medicine guide assembly
as viewed from right above. Fig. 3(b) is a perspective view of
a second divided guide member as viewed from left above.
Fig. 4 schematically illustrates an interior of the tablet
dispensing apparatus of the present invention.
Fig. 5 is a right side elevation view of a second embodiment
of the present invention as applied to a tablet dispensing
apparatus equipped with a manual medicine dispensing device.
Fig. 6(a) is a perspective view showing an appearance of a
conventional tablet dispensing apparatus as view from left front.
Fig. 6(b) schematically illustrates an interior of the
conventional tablet dispensing apparatus. Fig. 6(c) is a
perspective view showing an appearance of the conventional tablet
dispensing apparatus as view from left front.
Fig. 7 is a left side elevation view of a conventional tablet
dispensing apparatus equipped with a manual medicine dispensing
device.
Description of Embodiments
Now embodiments of the present invention will be described
below in detail.
Parts of a medicine dispensing apparatus of Figs. 1 to 4 are
allocated reference numerals defined by adding 100 to reference
numerals allocated to counterparts of a conventional medicine
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dispensing apparatus of Fig. 6. A medicine dispensing apparatus
according to a first embodiment of the present invention is a
tablet dispensing apparatus 110 which is atypical example. Figs.
1(a), 1(b), and 1(c) are a plan view, a front view, and a right
side elevation view of the tablet dispensing apparatus 110 of the
first embodiment, respectively. Fig. 2(a) is a plan view
primarily showing a plurality of medicine guide assemblies 114
wherein all the medicine feeder storage units 112 are pushed in
a medicine storage 111 indicated with dotted lines. Fig. 2(b)
is a plan view primarily showing the medicine guide assemblies
114 wherein some of the medicine feeder storage units 112 are drawn
out from the medicine storage 111. Fig. 3(a) is a perspective
view of one medicine guide assembly 114 formed of first and second
divided guide members 114A and 114B as viewed from right above.
Fig. 3 (b) is a perspective view of the second divided guide member
114B as viewed from left above. Fig. 4 schematically illustrates
an internal configuration of the table dispensing apparatus 110.
The tablet dispensing apparatus 110 includes eight medicine
feeder storage units 112, four medicine guide assemblies 114, a
medicine collecting assembly 115, a packing device 117, a
controller 118, and an operation panel 119. The medicine feeder
storage units 112 each receive a plurality of medicine feeders
113 in a medicine feeder casing 112A. The medicine feeders 113
each contain various sorts of tablets such as pills and capsules
by category. The controller 118 outputs control commands to the
medicine feeders 113 and the packing device 117.
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Eight medicine feeder storage units 112 are juxtaposed or
arranged side by side in the medicine storage 111 so as to be
individually slidable.
In this embodiment, the four medicine guide assemblies 114
are each disposed between paired adjacent medicine feeder storage
units 112, 112 among the eight medicine feeder storage units 112.
Each medicine guide assembly 114 guides the medicines, which have
been ejected from the medicine feeders 113 included in the paired
medicine feeder storage units 112, 112, to an outlet port located
downward. The medicine guide assemblies 114 each include a first
divided guide member 114A and a second divided guide member 1143.
The first and second guide members 114A, 114B are combined with
each other when the paired medicine feeder storage units 112, 112
are accommodated in the housing 110A, and are separated from each
other when one of the paired medicine feeder storage units 112,
112 is drawn out from the housing 110A. The housing 110A has a
door operable to open when drawing out the medicine feeder storage
units 112 from the housing 110A. The first divided guide member
114A is fixed to the medicine feeder casing 112A of one of the
paired medicine feeder storage units 112, 112 and the second
divided guide member 1143 is fixed to the medicine feeder casing
112A of the other medicine feeder storage unit 112.
As shown in Fig. 3 (a) , the first divided guide member 114A
is shaped like a plate, having formed a plurality of through holes
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H therein such that the medicines ejected from respective exits
of the medicine feeders 113 included in the one medicine feeder
storage unit 112 pass through the through holes H of the first
divided guide member 114A. The second divided guide member 114B
includes a plate-like portion 114Ba having formed a plurality of
through holes H therein such that the medicines ejected from the
medicine feeders 113 included in the other medicine feeder storage
unit 112 pass through the through holes H of the plate-like
portion 114Ba. The plate-like portion has a first edge portion
located distally in a draw-out direction of the medicine feeder
storage units 112 and a second edge portion located proximately
and opposite to the first edge portion in the draw-out direction.
The second divided guide member 114B also includes a first side
wall portion 114Bb extending along the first edge portion of the
plate-like portion 114Ba and away from the plate-like portion
114Ba, and a second side wall portion 114Bc extending along the
second edge portion of the plate-like portion 114Ba and away from
the plate-like portion 114Ba. To increase alignment tolerance,
the first divided guide member 114A is slightly wider than the
plate-like portion 114Ba of the second divided guide member 114B.
Each medicine guide assembly formed of the first and second
divided guide members 114A and 114B facing each other has open
upper and lower ends. One medicine guide assembly 114 is disposed
between paired adjacent medicine feeder storage units 112, 112
and is configured to guide the medicines, which have been ejected
from the medicine feeders 113 mounted in the paired adjacent
medicine feeder storage units 112, 112, to allow all the medicines
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to drop down. Further, each medicine guide assembly 114 becomes
narrower downward, thereby narrowing an opening at the lower end
thereof. This, in turn, narrows an upper opening of the medicine
collecting assembly 115 in front-to-back width.
If one medicine guide assembly 114 formed of the first and
second divided guide members 114A and 114B is provided with
respect to a pair of medicine feeder storage units, the number
of the medicine guide assemblies can be halved relative to the
number of the medicine feeder storage units 112. Thus, the tablet
dispensing apparatus of the present invention can be downsized
compared with conventional apparatuses. With such configuration,
the medicine feeder storage unit 112 is drawn out from the housing
110A with the interiors of the first and second divided guide
members 114A and 114B being exposed. The medicine guide assembly
114 can be cleaned by individually cleaning the interiors of the
first and second divided guide members 114A and 114B, thereby
avoiding excessive workload imposed on the cleaning worker.
The medicine collecting assembly 115 is disposed downward of
the eight medicine feeder storage units 112 inside the housing
110A, and is configured to collect the medicines ejected from the
four medicine guide assemblies 114. The medicine collecting
assembly 115 is formed of a relatively large hopper-like member
or an infundibulum-like member. An upper opening of the medicine
collecting assembly 115 is opened widely enough to face respective
ends of all the medicine guide assemblies 114. A lower opening
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of the medicine collecting member 115 is narrowed down toward a
medicine entry port 116 of the packing device 117. As a result,
the medicines guided by any of the medicine guide assemblies 114
are gathered toward the lower opening of the medicine collecting
assembly 115 and then fed into the packing device 117. The packing
device 117 works in the same manner as conventional packing
devices.
As shown in Fig. 1, the tablet dispensing apparatus 110 of
the first embodiment includes two air cleaning devices 41, 41 at
a top panel portion of the housing 110A. The air cleaning devices
are each operable to take in air from outside of the housing 110A,
clean the air, and supply the cleaned air to an interior of the
housing 110A. An air supply chamber 42 is provided below the top
panel portion of the housing 110A between the air cleaning devices
41 and the medicine storage 111. The air supply chamber 42 is
configured to temporarily pool cleaned air discharged from the
air cleaning devices 41. The air cleaning device is typically
a commercially available clean air supply unit formed of
combination of a fan capable of blowing an appropriate amount of
air and cleaning members such as HEPA or ULPA filters. The air
cleaning devices 41 used in this embodiment are configured to take
in air from an upper space above the housing 110A, clean the air,
for example, up to a level of class 1000, and deliver the cleaned
air into the air supply chamber 42 located right beneath. The
air supply chamber 42 may be formed of a simple box structure,
provided that it is capable of temporarily pooling the cleaned
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air and alleviating unbalanced air current and atmospheric
pressure.
The four medicine guide assemblies 114 communicate with the
air supply chamber 42. The cleaned air supplied from the air
cleaning devices 41, 41 into the housing 110A flows through the
medicine guide assemblies 114 downward or from top to bottom. The
internal space of each medicine guide assembly 114 defines a flow
path 43A for cleaned air to allow at least a part (44A) of the
cleaned air 44 to flow therealong. If such flow path 43A is
provided, the cleaned air 44A delivered from the top of each
medicine guide assembly 114 flows downward along a medicine
falling path, and further flows into the medicine collecting
assembly 115. As a result, the interiors of the medicine guide
assemblies 114 and the medicine collecting assembly 115 may be
cleaned to some extent by the flowing cleaned air 44A.
The decelerating cleaned air 44A, which has passed through
the medicine guide assemblies 114 and the medicine collecting
assembly 115, enters into the packing device 117 together with
the medicines. At this point, however, the cleaned air 44A is
not sufficient to clean an interior of the packing device 117.
Then, in this embodiment, a branch flow path 43B for cleaned air
is provided. The branch flow path 43B is configured to branch
the cleaned air supplied from the air cleaning devices 41, 41 and
deliver the branched cleaned air 44B directly to or in the vicinity
of the packing device such that the branched cleaned air 44B does
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not pass through the flow path 43A for cleaned air. Specifically,
as shown in Fig. 1(c), one or more air supply pipes each formed
of a upright duct are disposed in the rear of the housing 110A
so as to communicate with a lower space inside the housing 110A
inside which the air supply chamber 42 and the packing device 117
are disposed. Each of the air supply pipes forms the branch flow
path 43B for cleaned air. The branch flow paths 43B allow a part
44B of the cleaned air to be guided from the air supply chamber
42 to the lower space inside the housing 110A, bypassing the
medicine guide assemblies 114, the medicine feeder storage units
112, and the medicine collecting assembly 115. The cleaned air
44B thus guided flows into the packing device 117 at the medicine
entry port 116. Thanks to the branch flow paths 43B, the packing
device 117 can also be cleaned positively by the cleaned air 44B.
The branch flow paths 43B defined by the one or more air supply
pipes are longer than the flow path 43A, but can easily be provided
since they can be formed of flexible horses or the like.
The installation locations of the air cleaning devices 41,
41 are arbitrary if the filter performance is high. In this
embodiment, the air cleaning devices 41, 41 are disposed above
the medicine feeder storage units 112. In this configuration,
the air cleaning devices 41, 41 take in air from an upper space
distant from the floor, and the air thus taken in is relatively
clean.
Preferably, one or more air pollution sensors 45 to 47 are
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disposed inside the housing 110A. With the air pollution sensors
45 to 47, it is possible to sense air pollution due to some cause
inside the housing 110A, and early resolve the air pollution. The
air pollution sensors 45 to 47 may arbitrarily be configured,
provided that the sensors are capable of sensing the air pollution
at respective installation locations. For example, low-priced
and easy-to-use optical particle sensors may be used as the air
pollution sensors.
The one or more air pollution sensors 45 to 47 may be disposed
at arbitrary locations in air paths through which the cleaned air
supplied from the air cleaning devices 41, 41 flows. Specifically,
the air pollution sensors 45 to 47 are disposed in at least one
location selected from inside or outside of the flow path 43A for
cleaned air, inside or in the vicinity of an outlet port of the
branch flow path 43B for cleaned air, inside or in the vicinity
of the medicine collecting assembly 115, inside or in the vicinity
of the packing device 117, and in the vicinity of the medicine
entry port 116. In this embodiment, the air pollution sensor 45
is disposed inside the medicine storage 111 in the vicinity of
the front side wall of the housing 110A. The air pollution sensor
46 is located closer to the medicine collecting assembly 115 than
the packing device 117. Among the sensors, the air pollution
sensor 47 is located closest to the packing device 117 and just
next to the medicine entry port 116. All the sensing results of
the air pollution sensors 45 to 47 are sent to the controller 118
via signal cables or the like.
CA 02792051 2012-11-21
It is arbitrary how the sensing results are utilized. For
example, the controller 118 may be configured to vary the amount
of air which the air cleaning devices 41, 41 supply, according
to the level of pollution of the cleaned air sensed by the air
pollution sensors 45 to 47. In this case, the controller 118 works
to control the air cleaning devices 41, 41. In this embodiment,
in addition to controlling medicine dispensation mentioned so far,
the controller 118 also works to vary the amount of air supplied
from the air cleaning devices 41, 41 based on the sensing results.
If a plurality of air pollution sensors 45 to 47 are provided,
the highest level of air pollution may be chosen as the sensed
air pollution level from among the levels of air pollution sensed
by the sensors 45 to 47. Alternatively, the sensing results of
the air pollution sensors 45 to 47 may be averaged by calculating
an average of the sensing results, and the calculated average may
be used as the air pollution level. In this embodiment, the amount
of air supplied from the air cleaning devices 41 is increased if
the sensed air pollution level rises. The amount of air supplied
from the air cleaning devices 41 is decreased if the air clean
level rises. In such controlling manner, the cause of pollution
of the cleaned air can be eliminated by increasing the amount of
air supplied from the air cleaning devices 41. Afterwards, the
amount of air supplied from the air cleaning devices 41 may be
decreased, thereby saving energy.
Further, an alarm signal generator may be provided in the
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CA 02792051 2012-11-21
controller 118 so as to be operable to generate an alarm signal
when the pollution of the cleaned air sensed by the air pollution
sensors 45 to 47 reaches or exceeds a predetermined level. In
this embodiment, a multi-color light emitting device (alarming
means) AD is provided at the top panel of the housing 110A and
is configure to emit light of different colors as indicated by
an alarm signal generated by the controller 118. Thus, the color
of the emitted light is changed according to the alarm signal,
and the level of pollution of the cleaned air is indicated with
emitting light of different colors. In addition to the emitting
light, beeping or buzzer sound as well as a literal alarm or alarm
in a text form on the display panel may be used to warn the worker
that cleaning should early be performed. Alternatively, the
alarm signal may be operable to stop the medicine dispensing
apparatus.
The sensing results of the air pollution sensors 45 to 47 may
directly be sent to the alarming means via signal cables or the
like without intervention of the controller 118. Further, the
sensing results of the air pollution sensors 45 to 47 may be
classified into some levels and indicated to people working around
by varying the display color or produced sound.
As shown in Fig. 4, four shutter-type temporary pools 114a
are disposed below the respective lower ends of the four medicine
guide assemblies 114. The medicines fall down through the
medicine guide assemblies 114 and then are pooled in the temporary
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CA 02792051 2012-11-21
pools 114a. When the shutters are opened as indicated by an open
command from the controller 118, the medicines pooled in the
temporary pools 114a drop into the medicine collecting assembly
115. The temporary pools 114 work for buffering, and may prevent
the medicines from jumping and scattering.
Next, how the tablet dispensing apparatus 110 of the first
embodiment is used or operated will be described below . The basic
usage and operations of the tablet dispensing apparatus 110 are
the same as those of the conventional apparatuses except that the
medicines guided by the medicine guide assemblies are temporarily
received in the temporary pools 114a and then discharged with
appropriate timing to drop into the medicine collecting assembly
115. Here, repeated descriptions are omitted. Only the
differences with the conventional apparatuses, namely, how to
clean the medicine guide assemblies 114 and how to operate the
air cleaning means 41 to 47 disposed inside the housing will be
described below.
During ordinary operation such as medicine dispensation, all
the medicine feeder storage units 112 are pushed into the medicine
storage 111. In this situation, the first and second divided
guide members 114A and 114B of each medicine guide assembly 114
adjacently face each other and a pair of inner surfaces, namely,
the respective inner surfaces of the first and second divided
guide members 114A and 114B define a medicine falling path.
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In this situation, when the air cleaning devices 41 are
activated, air is taken in from an upper space above the tablet
dispensing apparatus 110. Then, the cleaned air 44 is first
delivered into the air supply chamber 42 and temporarily pooled
there.
A major part of the pooled cleaned air is delivered from the
air supply chamber 42 into the respective upper ends of the four
medicine guide assemblies 114. Then, the cleaned air flows
through the flow paths 43A for cleaned air defined inside the
medicine guide assemblies 114. The remaining part of the pooled
cleaned air is delivered from the air supply chamber 42 into an
upper end of the branch flow path 43B for cleaned air formed of
an air supply pipe. The cleaned air 44A entering into the flow
paths 43A inside the medicine guide assemblies 114 flows downward
or from top to bottom through the flow paths 43A which is a part
of the medicine falling path. The cleaned air 44A flows out of
the medicine guide assemblies 114 and flows into the medicine
collecting assembly 115 which is also a part of the medicine
falling path. Dust attached onto the inner wall surfaces of the
medicine guide assemblies 114 and the medicine collecting
assembly 115 are blown off by the flowing cleaned air. Thus,
cleaning is constantly performed.
The cleaned air 44B entering into the branch flow path 43B
from the air supply pipe flows out of the branch flow path 43B
without being polluted, bypassing the medicine feeder storage
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units 112, the medicine guide assemblies 114 and the medicine
collecting assembly 115. Then, the cleaned air 44B is blown onto
the packing device 117. Thus, dust attached to the packing device
117 is also blown off. The wall surfaces located from the
beginning to the end of the medicine falling path is constantly
cleaned in this manner.
The cleaned air delivered into the housing leak out of the
housing 110A through gaps for allowing the medicine feeder storage
units 112 to slide out and gaps of the door. Consequently, the
interior of the housing 110A is maintained at positive pressure
higher than the atmosphere around the housing 110A. This may
prevent dust from entering into the housing 110A.
In addition, the air pollution inside the medicine storage
111 is measured by the air pollution sensor 45, the air pollution
around the medicine collecting assembly 115 is measured by the
air pollution sensor 46, and the air pollution around the medicine
entry port 116 of the packing device 117 is measured by the air
pollution sensor 47. For example, the respective measured values
or sensed values are compared with predetermined thresholds, and
are classified into air pollution levels, good, caution needed,
bad, or the like. The air pollution level is displayed on the
display AD and beeping sound is produced. Thus, people working
around the tablet dispensing apparatus 110 can easily notice the
air pollution level of the tablet dispensing apparatus 110.
CA 02792051 2012-11-21
Further, the measured values or sensed values of the air
pollution sensors 45 to 47 are averaged by the controller 118,
thereby quantifying the air pollution inside the housing 110A of
the tablet dispensing apparatus 110. If it is determined by the
controller 118 that the air inside the housing 110A is clean, the
amount of air supplied from the air cleaning devices 41 is
decreased. If it is determined by the controller 118 that the
air inside the housing 110A is polluted, the amount of air supplied
from the air cleaning devices 41 is increased. The amount of air
supplied from the air cleaning devices 41, namely, cleaned air
44A and 44B is increased only during a limited period of time so
as not to badly affect the ejection, dropping, and gathering of
the medicines.
When cleaning the medicine guide assemblies 114, the automated
medicine dispensation is stopped and the air cleaning devices
disposed inside the housing are deactivated. The first and second
divided guide members 114A and 114B of each medicine guide
assembly 114 are individually cleaned. More specifically, first,
one of the paired adjacent medicine feeder storage units 112 is
drawn out from the medicine storage 111. If the medicine feeder
storage unit thus drawn out is a left unit in the pair, the first
divided guide member 114A is drawn out from the housing 110A and
the entire surface of the first divided guide member 114A that
contacts the medicines is exposed. Then, the entire surface is
wiped out for cleaning.
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Next, the medicine feeder storage unit 112 which has been
cleaned is pushed back into the medicine storage 111, and then
the other medicine feeder storage unit 112 which is a right unit
in the pair is drawn out from the medicine storage 111. This time,
the second divided guide member 114B is drawn out from the housing
110A and the entire surface of the second divided guide member
114B that contacts the medicines is exposed. Then, the entire
surface is wiped out for cleaning. Then, the medicine feeder
storage unit 12 which has been cleaned is pushed back into the
medicine storage 11. Thus, the surfaces of the medicine guide
assembly 114 that contacts falling medicines are entirely cleaned.
In addition, the worker can perform cleaning, standing up as with
the window cleaning.
In the first embodiment as described above, the air pollution
sensors are disposed only at locations where the cleaned air is
discharged, but are not disposed at locations from which the
cleaned air is supplied. For example, however, the air pollution
sensors may be provided in the air supply chamber 42 and the sensing
results may be reflected in the control of the amount of air
supplied from the air cleaning devices 41 or the alarm for air
pollution.
In the first embodiment, the filter is installed only in the
air cleaning devices 41. Of course, the filter may be installed
in the air supply chamber 42. In this case, an ordinary fan may
be used as an air cleaning device and a filter may be installed
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CA 02792051 2012-11-21
at an entry port of the air supply chamber 42 such that the fan
and the air supply chamber cooperate to work as an air cleaning
device.
In the first embodiment, identification and engagement of a
medicine cassette and a base portion of the medicine feeder 113
are not described. As have conventionally been done, mechanical
identification may be employed to determine whether or not a
protrusion ( convex portion) is well engaged with a recess (concave
portion). Alternatively, electrical or optical identification
may be employed to determine whether or not there are
identification members at respective portions to be sensed.
Further, a wireless tag may be attached to the medicine cassette
and a wireless tag reader, which is capable of reading
identification data for matching as disclosed in Patent Document
4, maybe attached to the base portion of the medicine feeder 113.
The wireless tag is alternatively called as a radio frequency
identification (RFID) tag, an electronic tag, a data carrier, or
a data storage medium. The wireless tag is equipped with an IC
having mounted memory and a control circuit thereon as well as
an antenna and a communication circuit for local communication.
The wireless tag receives a command signal from the reader by means
of radio waves or alternating magnetic fields, and reads tag
information stored in the memory or transmits a response to the
reader according to the received command.
The first embodiment describes the present invention as
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applied to a tablet dispensing apparatus without a manual medicine
dispensing device. As shown in Fig. 5, a second embodiment
describes the present invention as applied to a tablet dispensing
apparatus 220 equipped with a manual medicine dispensing device.
In the second embodiment of Fig. 5, parts of the tablet dispensing
apparatus are allocated reference numerals defined by adding 200
to reference numerals allocated to the counterparts of a
conventional tablet dispensing apparatus equipped with a manual
medicine dispensing apparatus. As with the first embodiment, the
tablet dispensing apparatus of the second embodiment is equipped
with an air cleaning device 241 on a housing 210A. Also as with
the first embodiment, medicine guide assemblies each formed of
first and second divided guide members are disposed inside the
housing 210A. The manual medicine dispensing device 221, 222
includes a cassette preliminary dispenser 221 and a conveyor
portion 222. The preliminary dispenser 221 is formed of a number
of partitions arranged in length and width directions. Each
partition has an open upper or top end for entry of medicines and
a lower or bottom face formed of a shutter capable of ejecting
medicines. The preliminary dispenser 221 can slide out from the
housing of the tablet dispensing apparatus 220 such that medicines
are manually dispensed into the partitions. The entry of the
medicines into the preliminary dispenser is manually done, but
the conveyor portion 222 is operable to automatically eject the
medicines. The conveyor portion 222 receives the medicines
ejected from the partitions of the preliminary dispenser 221, and
forwards the medicines per partition to a packing device 217 via
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a medicine collecting assembly 215. The tablet dispensing
apparatus 220 equipped with a manual medicine dispensing device
221, 222 is configured to operate in the same manner as the first
embodiment in a condition that the manual medicine dispensing
device 221, 222 is drawn out from the housing when the manual
medicine dispensing device is not used. When the manual medicine
dispensing device 221, 222 is used, the dispensation from the
medicine feeders is stopped, but the air cleaning device 241 is
in motion. Consequently, cleaned air is constantly supplied from
the air cleaning device 241 to flow inside the housing 210A. Thus,
cleaning by cleaned air is continued.
Either of the tablet dispensing apparatuses of the first and
second embodiments is equipped with the air cleaning device 41,
241. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the medicine guide assemblies 114
each formed of the first and second divided guide members may of
course be used in a medicine dispensing apparatus without an air
cleaning device. The cleaning system utilizing the air cleaning
devices 41, 241 respectively disposed in the medicine dispensing
apparatuses of the first and second embodiments may of course be
used in a medicine dispensing apparatus which does not employ the
medicine guide assemblies each formed of the first and second
divided guide members as shown in Figs. 1 to 3.
Industrial Applicability
According to the present invention, since the medicine guide
assemblies each formed of the first and second divided guide
CA 02792051 2012-11-21
members are provided with respect to a pair of medicine feeder
storage units, it is possible to reduce by half the number of the
medicine guide assemblies to be provided with respect to the
number of the medicine feeder storage units. Thus, the medicine
dispensing apparatus may be downsized compared with conventional
apparatuses. In this configuration, one medicine feeder storage
unit is drawn out from the housing with the interiors of the first
and second divided guide members being exposed . In this situation,
the medicine guide assemblies may be cleaned by individually
cleaning the interiors of the first and second divided members.
Further, the structure of the medicine guide assembly formed of
the first and second divided guide members is simple and can be
separated into two, thereby manufacturing the medicine guide
assembly easily and at low cost.
The air cleaning device is provided inside the housing so as
to be operable to take in air from outside of the housing, clean
the air, and supply the cleaned air to an interior of the housing.
Further, a flow path for cleaned air is provided so as to deliver
at least a part of the cleaned air into the medicine guide
assemblies such that the cleaned air flows downward inside the
medicine guide assemblies. The cleaned air, which has been
delivered into the medicine guide assembles from the top of the
assembles, flows downward from top to bottom along the medicine
falling paths and further flows into the medicine collecting
assembly. The flow of cleaned air may clean, to some extent, the
interiors of the medicine guide assemblies and the medicine
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CA 02792051 2012-11-21
collecting assembly. Thus, the cleaning cycle of the interiors
of the medicine guide assemblies can be extended more than ever.
The cleaned air flowing through the medicine guide assemblies
works to accelerate the falling speed of the medicines, thereby
facilitating the medicine dispensing cycle.
Description of Reference Numerals
1 Medicine (Tablet)
2 Packing paper sheet (Dispensing paper)
10, 110, 220 Tablet dispensing apparatus
11, 111 Medicine storage
12, 112 Medicine feeder storage unit
13, 113 Medicine feeder
14, 114 Medicine guide assembly
114A First divided guide member
114B Second divided guide member
114a Temporary pool
15, 115 Medicine collecting assembly
16, 116 Medicine entry port
17, 117 Packing device
18, 118 Controller
19, 119 Operation panel
20, 220 Manual medicine dispensing device
21, 221 Preliminary dispenser
(Manual medicine dispensing device)
22, 222 Conveyor portion
(Manual medicine dispensing device)
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41, 241 Air cleaning device
42 Air supply chamber
43A Flow path for cleaned air
43B Branch flow path for cleaned air
44A, 44B Cleaned air
45, 46, 47 Air pollution sensor
38
